AS208 Pong
by Star24
Summary: Will the estrangement between Logan and Max prove to be a fatal distraction for one or both of them when a new crisis surfaces in Seattle?
1. Prologue

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24

__

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

****

Prologue

Max's Crib

"…so let me get this straight. You got Logan's legs fixed for good, you and he finally did the dirty, and now he isn't talking to you?" Original Cindy said carefully to Max. "Original Cindy likes to know her facts before she puts the smackdown on anyone."

Max sighed and turned to look at her best friend. "You make it all sound so simple."

"Girl, it is simple. The boy needs to have sense knocked into his head."

"Well I'm not exactly talking to him either." Max confessed, turning away.

Original Cindy narrowed her eyes at her friend. "And why might that be?"

Max turned with a stubborn look on her face. "Because he jumped to conclusions about what went down at the Embassy."

"Hold on. Back up. Something tells me that you haven't exactly spilled the whole dl here. Did you, or did you not, tell him that Lydecker played you in that deal?"

"Not exactly."

"Why not?"

"Because he read Deck's note and saw the newscast, and then he looked at me like I was some kind of monster. Why should I tell him anything after that?" 

"What did you do?"

"I left."

"That's it? You left? Without talking about it?"

"He made his mind up. What was there to talk about?"

"Max, did it ever occur to you that the man was in shock? The black helicopter dudes kidnap him, they drug him up for days on end, he wakes up walking and finds a note from Lydecker that seems to say that you sold your soul to Satan, and then he sees the news about the assassination. Girl, I gotta say I'd be doubtin' what went down too at that point. It don't mean that he wouldn't be willin' to hear your side of things."

"I'm not willing to tell him. If he thinks I'd kill someone in cold blood just so he could walk…"

Original Cindy looked at her slyly, "You're tellin' me you had no inkling that Lydecker wasn't dealin' you the full deck? You honestly thought it was a simple fetch and retrieve? Satan needed you for that?"

Max flushed. 

"Or maybe you didn't want to know?" Cindy finished. "Boo, maybe it ain't Logan who's doubtin' you so much as you doubtin' yourself."

Max stared at her for long moments. "He hates me now. I know he does. And all I wanted to do was to help him…"

Cindy reached over and hugged her friend. "Max, Logan _loves_ you. He might be mad at you but, boo, he'll forgive you. The man can't live without you. You're the air he breathes. Trust me."

"He thinks I killed a man in cold blood. How can he forgive that? You know Logan."

"First you gotta decide, can you forgive yourself?"

"Huh?"

"Did you do it?"

"I killed him."

"In cold blood?"

"No. I didn't even mean to. It happened so fast…"

"Max, it was kill or be killed. You did what you had to do. Logan will understand that." Original Cindy assured her friend.

"Why would he believe me? He knows I went to Lydecker voluntarily."

"Boo, you made a mistake there. A big one. But you did it because you love Logan. Satan played you and he played your man. Original Cindy wouldn't be surprised if he's still playing you."

"What do I do?" 

"You gotta go talk to Logan. He's pissed and he has a right to be. But he deserves to hear the truth of what went down from you."

"He won't answer my calls." Max protested.

"Since when did you lose the use of your feet? And isn't that your bike I see sittin' there in front of me? He changed his address or somethin'?"

"No."

Original Cindy stood and pulled Max up after her. She gave her a push towards the bathroom of their small apartment. "Then you need to go in there, wash your face and comb your hair, and then get your fine ass over to the fortress of solitude. I don't wanna see your face here again until you work it out with your boy."

Max looked at her doubtfully. "What if he won't let me in?"

"And that's ever stopped you?"

Max smiled wanly. She went into her room and then the bathroom and emerged in a short time. She had changed her shirt, brushed her hair, and even applied a light coat of lip-gloss.

Original Cindy looked at her approvingly. "That's more like my homegirl." 

Max went to her bike and began to walk it out of the apartment. She was in the hallway when Cindy called after her. 

"Boo, remember one more thing."

"What?"

"Makeup sex works wonders."

Max blushed. "OC!" She looked around the hallway to be sure no neighbors were in earshot.

"S'truth girl. You been there now, so don't go tellin' me you ain't like that. And when you come home all back in sync with the universe, you owe me the lowdown."

The elevator doors opened at that moment sparing Max from having to answer. She quickly pushed her bike inside. Cindy watched the doors close and then turned and went back into their apartment with a troubled look on her face_. "Logan Cale, if you hurt my girl you're gonna pay or my name ain't Original Cindy"_ she muttered to herself.

****

End of Prologue


	2. Chapter One

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24 

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24_.

**_______________________**

**Chapter One**

**Abandoned nuclear plant in ****Hanford****, ****WA******

The large rectangular building loomed in the distance, beyond the chain link fences topped with barbed wire.  No smoke rose from any of the cooling towers that surrounded it, and the facility was black in the starlit night. The Columbia Nuclear plant had been shut down since the Pulse had destroyed the intricate computer systems necessary for its safe operation. In the initial chaos of the Pulse's aftermath, the National Guard had patrolled there, guarding against any terrorist attempts to obtain the deadly materiel that was the fuel for the plant. But as time passed and the government fragmented, there had no longer been either the personnel or money needed to maintain the patrols. Dismantling the plant had been equally impossible. Instead a series of land mines had been put in, surrounding the abandoned buildings. The hope was that someday the United States would be restored to its previous glory, and that the plant could once again be re-opened to provide power to the surrounding areas. That had been over ten years ago, and the plant now stood abandoned and almost forgotten. Locals stayed away from its deadly environs, worried not only about the very real danger of the mines, but by the fear of leaking radiation.

The dark figure stood and surveyed the plant from outside of the fence.  He looked down at the map of the facility that he held in his hand, shining a small pencil light on it, studying the Xs marked on the open areas.  After long moments, he folded the map and put it into the pack he wore on his back.  He took a pair of wire cutters out and within moments had cut an opening in the rusting fence. Pushing the chain link aside he took a breath and stepped through onto the grounds.  

Twenty long minutes later, he breathed a sigh of relief as he stood at the entrance to the containment building.  He reached up and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and then quickly set to work opening the doors to the building.  No alarm greeted his entrance, they had long ago been turned off and reliance placed on the deadly mines outside of the building.  A small smile crossed the man's face as he pulled out another map and then set off for his goal.

* * * * * * * * *

**Seattle****WA**: Near the docks****

A man staggered down the streets of one of Seattle's seediest neighborhoods. To all intents and purposes he looked like just another drunk, heading for a place to sleep after a night at one of the local bars. No one paid attention as he made his shaky way, going from street lamp pole to pole, using them to rest and regain his balance before he staggered on to the next one.  He continued on this way for a block or two, but then, as he pushed off from one post, aiming himself toward the next, his legs collapsed under him. He fell to the ground where he laid, just another drunk in this neighborhood where the sight was more the rule than the exception.  More sober patrons of the bars that lined the grimy streets stepped over him as they passed. A light drizzle began to fall and still he lay there, muttering occasionally, as the rain turned into a downpour and the streets emptied in the early morning hours. 

**Fogle****Towers******

Max stood outside the door to Logan's apartment. She took a deep breath and wiped her palms on her jeans.  She thought about letting herself in, but instead she rang the bell, and then she waited. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard footsteps on the other side of the door.  There was the sound of the bolt being thrown, and the door swung open.

"Hey…" she began, only to stop as she saw that it was Bling standing there.

"Hey, Max." Bling paused and she thought she saw a touch of pity in his eyes. "He isn't here."

Max's face fell. "Can I come in and wait for him to come back? Or am I banned from the kingdom?"

Bling smiled at her attempt at levity, and stepped back. "Come on in. But I have to tell you that I don't know when he'll be back." He let the door close behind Max. 

"What do you mean?" Max felt a surge of panic.

"He went out of town to visit some friends for a few days. Didn't say when he'd be back."

"Oh. Did he happen to say where?"  
  


Bling hesitated. "He asked me not to tell you. I'm sorry, Max."

She managed to smile. "No biggie. Everyone's entitled to their time off, right? Even Eyes Only."

"Max…" Bling began but she raised a hand to stop him.

"Look it's okay. You delivered the message. It's not your problem."  She turned away briefly not wanting him to see the tears she was struggling to control. She felt his hand rest briefly on her shoulder.

"For what it's worth, he's hurting, Max. He didn't tell me what went down between you two, but it's not easy on him either." Bling's words were soft.

"Yeah, well, you know us. If anything was ever easy we wouldn't know what to do." Max tried to pass it off. "So how are his legs anyway?" She tried to change the subject.

"He's walking like he never stopped. It's pretty amazing actually. He told me Sam Carr checked him out and thinks this time will stick."

"At least that part came out right." Max said softly. She realized that Bling had on his jacket. "You were just leaving weren't you?"

"I stopped by to check the Informant Net for him." Bling said.

"Do you think it would be okay if I stuck around for a while? You don't have to stay."

Bling looked at her. "Sure." He paused, "This place is as much yours, as Logan's anyway."

Max looked at him, "Maybe it used to be. I'm not so sure anymore."

"Max, he cares about you.  He's just mixed up right now. Give him some time."

"Time heals all wounds?" Max said. "I'm not so sure this one can be healed." Her voice held a tinge of bitterness.

Impulsively Bling reached out and pulled her into a brief hug. "It'll come right. I never saw two people more meant for each other than you two."

Max felt the tears she had been suppressing starting to overflow, and she pulled away and turned her back to him. "Guess we'll see. Night, Bling."

"Night, Max." There was the soft sound of the door closing and she let herself relax. The tears ran down her face unheeded as she wandered through the apartment. When she reached the floor to ceiling windows, she stood staring out at rain drenched Seattle.

**Several days later, ****Seattle****WA**:  An alley near the docks****

It was dark and drizzling, a typical Seattle evening, and the young girl sighed as she rooted through the dumpster in the dim alleyway.  She looked to be about fourteen, tall but skinny, with threadbare clothes and hair chopped off raggedly, close to her shoulders.  A canvas sack was slung over her shoulder and when she found something that seemed as if it might be of some value, she tossed it into the sack.  She had almost finished with the dumpster in the alley when there was a squeak, and a large rat ran across her foot. The girl jumped back in reflex, and hefted the pipe she held in one hand for just such a contingency. The rat however, seemed more frightened than her and quickly scuttled away into the shadows.  Cursing under her breath, the girl turned to leave the alley and almost tripped over something in her path.

"What the?" she muttered as she dropped to the ground and rubbed the toe she had stubbed on something hard.  She reached down and ran her hands over a metal box that was shoved up against the wall of the building. If the rat hadn't caused her to jump back, she never would have found it.  Her nimble fingers found a latch on it and she tried to open it, but it refused to budge.  She gave it a shove and it barely moved. A frown wrinkled her brow and she sat back on her heels thinking. After a moment she set down her pipe and began to empty the canvas bag. When she finished, she reached down and managed to lift the box into it.  She placed a few light items in the bag, covering the box, and then managed to lift it and let it hang over her shoulder. It took two hands to hold it, so she left her pipe and then slowly made her way to the entrance of the alleyway.  From there she headed to what she called home, planning to examine her find in privacy. 

**End of Chapter One**


	3. Chapter Two

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24

__

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

Chapter Two

Next Day: Fogle Towers

Max easily let herself into Logan's apartment by using the key he had given her when she had returned from Manticore. This time the apartment was empty; Bling wasn't even there. Max didn't care. She was on a mission and she was determined to find out where Logan had gone.

His computers were shut down, but it didn't take her long to have them up and running. Soon the familiar sound of their fans filled the too quiet apartment. Max found the sound soothing, associated as it was to Logan in her mind. She began to systematically search through his database, looking for anything that might give her a clue to his destination such as plane, or train, or even bus tickets. 

At the thought of bus tickets she paused and smiled to herself as she remembered Crazy Phil. He had come into their lives at a time when things had seemed dark for the two of them, right after the incident with Ben. Logan had been running and hiding from Max over that, and she had been completely at a loss. Phil had done _something_ and they had ended up back in charity with each other, although she still wasn't sure exactly how it had happened.

"Maybe I oughta look up Phil," she mused to herself. Struck by the thought, she wondered if maybe Logan had had the same one. She put it aside, but decided to come back to it if all of her other efforts led to dead ends.

An hour later she sat back and admitted defeat. There was nothing at all to indicate where Logan was. No signs of any recent purchases of any kind of transportation under his own name, or any others. No records of a false identity that he might be using to travel incognito.

"Damn it, Logan Cale. Didn't anyone ever tell you that you can't work things out with someone if you can't talk to them? I should kick your ass when I find it." Max was muttering to herself in frustration when a flashing icon caught her eye. She recognized it as the Informant Net email alert. She was tempted to ignore it but her curiosity got the better of her. Moments later she had the message open and she scanned through it quickly. A frown appeared on her face as she read.

****

To: IOSeattle

From: VisionWA 

Word is out that a chunk of plutonium has gone missing from the old Hanford plant. Indications are that it may be in Seattle. I don't need to tell you what it could do in the wrong hands. Wish I had more but that's all I have for today. Will keep you posted. Good luck.

"Great. Just great. Logan, now is definitely not the time for you to be playing hide and go seek." Her words echoed mockingly in the empty apartment.

Max made a sudden decision and turned to Logan's phone. Within minutes she was talking to Sebastian.

"That's all I've got on it Sebastian. We need to locate Logan. When we do maybe he can dig up some more from some of his other sources. Do you think you can work on that for me? I'm going to see what I can find out on the street in the meantime. Thanks." She hung up, and then reached over and shut down the computers. 

That done she looked at her watch. It was too early to hit the streets so she wandered the apartment aimlessly, killing time. She wasn't paying attention and started when she found herself standing in the doorway leading to Logan's bedroom. She hesitated for a moment, but then decided that maybe she could find a clue as to where he had gone. Half an hour later she had efficiently searched the room with no luck. She let herself fall backwards onto his bed and lay there staring up at the ceiling. Logan's scent tickled her nostrils and she felt tears gathering in her eyes. 

Memories of their one night together assailed her. 

"I love you." She could hear Logan's husky tones as he gently made lover to her for the second time that night, worshipping her with his body as well as with his words. But then the memory of the horrified look in his eyes when he had turned to her after seeing the news bulletin, seared into her thoughts. 

She sat up on the bed with a look of determination on her face. "No. Damn it. I won't let you do this, Logan. I'm done running and hiding from us. You're going to face this with me and we're going to work it out."

She rose and looked around the room once more. This time her gaze fell on a picture frame that was lying face down on a stand next to the bed. She had ignored it earlier but now she reached down and picked it up. It was a picture of her, carefully placed in a sterling silver frame. It looked like it was a surveillance picture; she was dressed in camo gear and was looking solemnly up at the camera. A small smile crossed her face and she carefully stood the picture back on the nightstand facing the bed, before she left the room and then the apartment, on her way to her self appointed Eyes Only mission.

End of Chapter Two


	4. Chapter Three

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24 

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24_.

**Chapter Three**

**Outside of ****Kent****, **WA********

Logan stood on the porch of the comfortable farmhouse, looking out over the pleasant vista that stretched in front of him. James had left the farmhouse early to tend to the milking and the myriad other chores that went along with the successful operation of a small dairy farm, and Anna had departed with Maria to school.  Logan didn't mind the solitude; he welcomed it as a long overdue chance to clear his head and try to begin to make some sense out of the chaos that he had come to call his life. He sipped at the cup of coffee he had carried outside with him, as he stood trying to relax.

In those long ago dark days when he had thought he had lost Max forever, he had naively dreamed that someday she would return and everything would be perfect.  She had returned, but instead of sorting themselves out, things had become even more confusing.  He glanced down at his legs, realizing that his ability to walk again was one of the more confusing of recent events.

"Penny for them?" James' voice interrupted his train of thought, and Logan started.

"Oh, hey, didn't hear you coming."

"You wouldn't have heard me coming if I was herding my cows in front of me." James chuckled. He leaned against the railing next to Logan, and for a few moments the two men stood in silence staring out over the fields.

"You've got a good life here, James. Anna is wonderful and Maria seems to have really settled in." Logan observed after a moment. 

"I can't complain.  Most people these days don't have half of what I do. I'm a lucky man." James agreed. He shot a shrewd look at Logan. "So, how's your life treating you?"

"It's fine." Logan hedged not meeting his friends' eyes.

"So fine that you suddenly had to get away from it, and just turned up on our doorstep two days ago?" James asked. "Not that we mind. You know that our door is always open to you."

Logan was silent.

"It's a woman isn't it?" James asked. 

"No…I mean…yes…I mean…I don't know…" Logan floundered.

James dropped a hand on his shoulder.  "It might help if you talked about it. All of it. You know my lips are sealed. I won't even tell Anna, if you don't want me to."

Logan finally met his eyes and sighed. "You know, I think that's why I came here.  Ever since we were kids, you were the one person who never judged me and who always accepted me for what I was. You always had my back, even when I pulled one of my more hare brained stunts and got my dad on the warpath."

"Isn't that what best friends are for?" James walked over and sat in one of the wooden rockers that stood on the porch.  "Cows don't need me for a while and Anna and Maria won't be home for hours.  We have all the time you need to talk, Logan."

"Yeah. We do, don't we?" Logan smiled and walked over to sit in the rocker that stood next to the one James already occupied. "It all started over two years ago when this girl literally dropped into my apartment…"

**Max's Crib**

"So Bling won't give up the man, and you have no idea where he took off to?" Original Cindy sat and considered Max who was pacing the floor of their apartment restlessly. "Girl, you gonna wear a path in that floor, if you don't stop with the back and forth here." 

"Bling isn't talking. I've got Sebastian looking for Logan for me, but it might take a while to locate him."

"And in the meantime you got this doomsday message about some kind of bad ass nuclear thing that might be in Seattle. That is a problem."

"Unless we all want to wake up one night glowing in the dark, I've got to do something about it."

"You sure it's actually here? Didn't the message say maybe?" Cindy asked.

"I have to go on the assumption that it is here. But I don't even have a clue as to who might have it or want it or why. That's Logan's thing – finding out the down low. I'm just the leg man," Max said. Her frustration was clear in her voice.

"In other words, he's the brains and you're the brawn." Original Cindy chuckled, despite the seriousness of the situation. 

Max stared at her. "Someone else said that to us once."

"Oh yeah? Well ain't it the truth?"

Max smiled despite herself, "I'm not exactly an idiot you know, but yeah it's pretty much the truth."  Her smile faded. "Why did Logan have to pick now to pull a disappearing act?"

Cindy looked at her, but didn't answer.

"I know. I should have stayed and talked to him. But I…he made me feel… the way he looked at me…"

"Boo, I been telling you for a while now that you got to step to the real with Logan.  You two love each other, but if you don't start talking that ain't gonna count for nothing."

"I know, but it's hard." Max protested.

"Ain't no one ever guaranteed you that life was gonna be easy. And that goes double when you talking about dealing with one of the three legged gender.  But runnin' away from it ain't the answer. Thought you learned that by now."

"Logan is the one who ran away this time!" Max said, stung by the injustice of Cindy's words.

Cindy wasn't letting her off the hook, "Maybe so, but you ran from the hotel room. Maybe if you just went at it and had a knock down drag out, followed by some good old fashioned make-up sex you wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Max sighed. "Well we are and I can't wait to find Logan to do something about this other thing."

"So what you gonna do?"

Max squared her shoulders. "Make it up as I go along. It's what I always do." She reached down and picked up her leather jacket, shrugging into it. "I'm going to go check the informant net at Logan's to see if anything new came in and then I thought I'd hit the streets. See if any of my contacts have heard anything."

"Sounds like a plan, boo. You want me to keep a listen out at CRASH for any word of strange doings in town?"

Max smiled at her friend. "That would be a help. Just don't do anything to draw attention to yourself. This could be nasty and I don't want you in the line of fire."

Original Cindy shrugged, "Ain't nothin' I ain't been through before, boo. You take care."

"Yeah. Catch you later."  The door slammed behind Max, and Cindy sat lost in thought for a moment. Then with a sigh she rose and went to get ready for an evening at CRASH.

**End of Chapter Three**


	5. Chapter Four

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24 

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24_.

**Chapter Four**

**Unknown Location **

The two figures in the dark office were shrouded in shadows, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female.  

"You're telling me that the operative assigned to the mission did recover the materiel but has since vanished with it? That is completely unacceptable." The voice was low and chilling in its very softness.

"The last communiqué that we received originated from Seattle. He advised that the retrieval had gone as planned and he was in Seattle en route to the rendezvous. He never showed and we have heard nothing since then," the second confirmed.

"Why was there no tracking device implanted on him before he was sent out?"

"It wasn't thought to be necessary, given his tenure and previous service with us."

"Such incredible sloppiness is inexcusable.  What is being done to trace the materiel? You do realize what could happen if it falls into the wrong hands."

"We have a team working night and day on it."

"Is it possible the operative was turned and delivered the materiel to another player?"

"We've checked out every major player who might have both the interest and the resources to better our terms.  There isn't a whisper that any of them were even aware of the project."

"Have you checked hospitals and morgues? It's possible our man became the victim of one of the scum that populate Seattle these days."

There was a silence. "I don't believe the team has taken that approach so far."

"Given your general incompetence in this entire matter it doesn't surprise me.  Have it done immediately and report the results to me. I plan on taking a personal hand in this until it is fully resolved to my satisfaction." The first speaker turned to the window in a clear dismissal of the second.

"As you wish." The second figure opened the door and left the room quietly.

**Harbor****Lights****Hospital****, **Seattle********

Max made her way quietly through the hallways of Harbor Lights Hospital.  The dingy halls and harried looking staff were a far cry from the gleaming perfection she had grown used to seeing at Metro Medical Center.  She looked around, checking her bearings and turned right down a hallway.  When she was halfway down its length, she stopped at a doorway and knocked gently.

"Come in," a female voice answered. 

Max pushed open the door and entered a small cluttered office. An attractive, thirtyish woman looked up from behind a desk piled with paperwork. Recognition and surprise quickly crossed her face.

"It's Max, is that right?" she asked.

"That's right." Max answered, looking around curiously. "You got sick of the dead guys and decided to do some cutting on the living?"

Dr. Beverly Shankar laughed. "I still work at the morgue; it's what pays my bills. I do pro bono work here. There's such a shortage of trained medical personnel that they're happy to have even my dubious services."

"Oh right." Max said. She dropped gracefully into the chair in front of the desk.

"What brings you here? Did Logan send you?" Shankar looked at her in inquiry.

"Not exactly. He's out of town and I've been kind of filling in for him- checking his email and all." Max said.

"And you received the one I sent him last night."

"About the case of what looks like radiation poisoning." Max finished for her. "What gives with it? Before I drag Logan back from his vacation I'd like to have some more details for him so he can decide if the Man needs to be involved."

Shankar frowned.  "He was brought in several nights ago. The sector cops found him in an alley. They thought he was drunk or OD'd.  I got the case.  He's never regained consciousness and his symptoms are those of acute radiation poisoning. The strange thing is that there's nothing in Seattle that could have caused it."

"Nothing?" Max said in surprise.

"Nothing that's strong enough to cause as severe a case as I'm looking at. He was exposed to high grade material."

"Think he's gonna come out of it to tell you?"   
  


"I doubt it. He's terminal. The chances of him coming out of it are getting less and less. What worries me is that whatever he was exposed to may be out there on the streets. We could be looking at a major disaster."

"I think I need to get to Logan with this information." Max said. 

Shankar gave her a relieved smile. "Thanks, Max. Logan can get in touch with his boss and maybe he'll have some ideas on what to do. I've been losing sleep over it worrying about the implications."

"I'll get right on it. Expect to hear back from me or Logan in the next day. At least if I have any say in it."

Max rose and left the office without another word, leaving Dr. Shankar gazing thoughtfully after her.

**End of Chapter Four**


	6. Chapter Five

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

****

Chapter Five

****

Outside of Kent, WA

Logan was feeling more relaxed than he had in months. James had proven to be a sympathetic listener, even though he had refused to offer Logan any real advice on how to deal with his situation with Max, saying only that he would like to know more about how Max saw things before he made any suggestions.

That in itself had given Logan food for thought, making him wonder if perhaps he had jumped too quickly to a conclusion about her motives and behavior. If James, who didn't even know her, was advocating caution in judgement, in the face of what on the surface was damning evidence, he began to wonder about his own motives for judging her so harshly. At the end of their talk, James had said to him, "Logan, you know your father wasn't always right about everything," and refused to elaborate any further. 

He had spent the last several days taking long walks, both to build up his long unused leg muscles, and to do some hard thinking. While the first goal had been well served, Logan wasn't so sure he had accomplished much for the second. His thoughts kept veering wildly. One moment he was lost in reliving how _right_ it had felt to finally consummate his physical relationship with Max, and the next he was caught up in the horror of realizing that she had traded her skills as an assassin for a restoration of his ability to walk. 

James hadn't alluded to the subject again, even though Logan knew that if he wanted to talk more, the door was open. He guessed that James had told Anna something, going by the way she was treating him with extra care, even though he knew that James wouldn't have betrayed any of the details about Max or Manticore that he had revealed.

"Logan, you have a call." Anna called out to him as he came in sight of the farmhouse.

"Be right there," he waved to her. He was surprised that the call hadn't come in on his cell until he remembered he had deliberately left it in his room, not wanting any disturbances while he walked. When he reached the house, Anna held his cell out to him and he took it from her with a smile and a thank you. He sat on one of the rockers and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey."

"Hey, Logan it's Bling. How are you, man?" 

"Believe it or not I'm doing okay. I'm not there yet but things are trying to come clear."

Logan told him honestly. "Why did you call?"

"Max came over to your place the other day." Bling said.

Logan was silent for a moment. "How is she?" he asked finally.

"She's hurting. Logan, I'm worried about her and about you. Not telling her where you are was about the hardest thing I've ever done." 

"I know, Bling. Me too." Logan answered softly.

"Anyway, if she asks again what should I tell her? You ready to talk to her yet?" Bling wanted to know.

"I don't know." Logan's confusion was evident in his tone of voice.

"Do you know when you're coming back?" Bling asked.

"When I know the answer to your first question," Logan laughed bitterly. "Give me a few more days. I'm working on it and I think I'm making progress. Anything up with Eyes Only?" He said the last softly after checking to be sure there were no listening ears. 

"It's been quiet." Bling said, not aware of the email Max had intercepted. 

"Well, if anything blows up, hit me and I'll head straight back." Logan instructed him.

"Take care man." Bling paused, "For what it's worth, I think you need to talk to Max.I told her and I'm telling you, that I've never seen two people more meant for each other. You owe her, and yourself, a chance to work things out."

Logan was silent. 

"If you change your mind about Max knowing where you are, hit me back." Bling continued. "Maybe that fresh country air would do the both of you good." 

The call disconnected, and Logan sat there staring unseeingly at the sunset that was spreading rays of orange and pink across the horizon. He hesitated and then he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his wallet. He slid a square of cardboard out of a hidden compartment and turned it over. Max stared up at him from a photo that had clearly seen much handling. Logan sat there gazing into the dark eyes that looked up at him seriously, as the sun dropped below the horizon and darkness fell over the fields in front of him. 

Harbor Lights Hospital

Dr. Beverly Shankar looked up from her paperwork to see the chief internist standing in her office doorway.

"Dr. Wilson, how can I help you?" she asked in surprise.

Dr. Wilson entered the small office and sat down facing Beverly. "I wanted to let you know that your John Doe just died."

"We expected that." Beverly said. "I appreciate your telling me, but I'm surprised you took the time personally. I know how overworked everyone is here."

"He didn't die from his condition." Dr. Wilson said grimly. "He was murdered. Someone injected air into his IV tube. We wouldn't have picked it up if they hadn't dropped the empty syringe they used on their way out. One of the nurses made rounds early and we think she almost caught the murderer in the act. The police are investigating but I doubt they'll spend much time on an unknown derelict. They'll probably be by to see you eventually."

"There isn't much I can tell them." Beverly observed, trying to hide her shock and concern.

"No there isn't. I didn't want you to be surprised. We appreciate your assistance here, Dr. Shankar, and I wouldn't want to lose it over something like this." Dr. Wilson said.

"No fear of that. It had nothing to do with me after all." Beverly assured him.

Dr. Wilson nodded and rose from the chair. "Good night then."

"Good night, Doctor." Beverly answered. As soon as he left and she thought that enough time had elapsed, she picked up her phone and dialed a number. "Max, this is Beverly. I wanted to confirm where we were meeting for coffee tonight. Give me a call back." She kept her tone bright and breezy for any possible listening ears. After leaving her message, Beverly hung up the phone and sat back in her chair as she waited impatiently for Max to call her back.

****

End of Chapter Five


	7. Chapter Six

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

Chapter Six

Max's Crib

Original Cindy arrived home from CRASH to find her roommate perched on the back of a chair, her face wrinkled in thought.

"Hey, boo, Wassup? Bad news about your boy?" Original Cindy dropped the sweater she had thrown over her shoulders onto the floor as she walked over to Max. 

"Nope." Mac answered uninformatively.

"News about the 'we're all goin' to glow in the dark' thingy then?"

Max sighed and pulled herself back from whatever it was that she appeared to be contemplating. "I met with one of Logan's informants tonight. The only lead I might have had was murdered today."

"Dayum. So that leaves you back at nada?"

"No. When I came back here I found this lying on the floor just inside the door." Max held a slip of paper out to her friend.

Original Cindy took the paper and quickly read it. A look of puzzlement crossed her face. "You know somebody in Kent, Washington?"

"Nope. Guess again." Max said.

A look of comprehension crossed Cindy's face. "You think this is where Logan went to?"

"It seems like a possibility."

"But then who knew you were lookin' for him, and why send you this? What if it's a trap of some kind?"

Max sighed. "Bling and another friend of Logan's were the only ones I told that I was looking for him. They wouldn't tell me this way."

"So it's a trap?"

Max was slow to answer. "I don't think so. Hold it up to the light."

Original Cindy complied. A faint watermark was visible. "Huh? What's the half man half lion thingy s'posed to 'present?"

"It's the symbol of Manticore. I think my personal anti-Christ himself had this delivered to me."

"Lydecker? King of the Black Hats? Girl, you better be careful 'bout goin here if that's what you think."

"I don't have much choice. Bling still won't talk and Sebastian hasn't had any luck. I need Logan for this, OC." 

"Don't mean I gotta like it, sugah. But I know you well enough to know there ain't no stoppin' you when you got your mind set on somethin'" Cindy walked over and hugged Max. 

Max laughed shortly. "Funny, Logan once said almost the identical thing to me."

"Stands to reason, since we two you family. When you leavin'?"

"I was just waitin' until you got back." Max jumped down from her perch and walked over to the counter that divided the kitchen from the living room. She picked up a manila envelope. "If I don't come back or you don't hear from me within 36 hours I want you to get this to this guy. His name's Matt Sung."

Cindy raised her eyebrows as she read the address on the envelope. "A po po?"

"He's ok, OC. He'll make sure the info on the radioactive materiel gets to the right places."

Cindy took the envelope and placed it down. She held out her arms and Max came to her for a hug. "When you find that boy you make sure you take care of the important things too, boo. Not just the save the world crap. And you tell him that Original Cindy ain't beyond givin' him an ass kickin' if she thinks he's not playin' right with her boo."

Max pulled away and smiled at her friend. "Thanks, OC. It'll be good. But now I gotta go find Mr. Eyes Only and get him back to savin' this sorry world." 

"You do that, boo…" the door slammed behind Max before Cindy could finish her sentence, "…and make sure you get him back to savin' you as well." She sighed as a realization hit her. "Dayum. I gotta deal with Normal tomorrow when you don't show for work again," she muttered as she headed off to catch a few hours of sleep. 

****

Kent, WA Just after Dawn

Logan came awake with a start. He sat up and blinked several times, reaching up to rub the sleep out of his eyes. The room was dark; only a few faint rays of light seeped under the pulled down blinds that shaded the windows. As he sat there, he became aware that he wasn't alone in the room. He glanced around and then fumbled on the stand next to the bed for his glasses.

"Looking for these?" a familiar voice said and the light came on, blinding him momentarily. Max stood there holding his glasses in one of her hands, but making no move to give them to him.

"M-Max," was all he managed to get out as he blinked in the light.

"You were expecting Santa Claus?" Her voice was tinged with familiar sarcasm as she lounged against the wall closest to the bed. She was dressed in one of her black catsuits and her dark hair flowed in soft waves over her shoulders, partially obscuring her face. A thought of how soft that hair felt in his hands slid through his mind, but he quickly suppressed it before it could lead to other memories of their one night together.

"How did you…?" Logan started to ask.

"Bling didn't tell me, if that's what you're wondering. Although, I was about to kick his ass if he didn't give you up."

"Can I have my glasses?" Logan asked her warily, unsure of her mood.

Max tossed them to him and he caught them neatly, unfolded them, and put them on. As she came into focus, he caught her eyes roaming over his naked torso and he flushed, but he made no move to pull up the sheet, which was draped across his waist. "So what, you came to enjoy the view?" he said somewhat shortly to cover his guilt over his actions in leaving Seattle without talking to her. 

"I can see as good or better elsewhere. Anytime I want, as a matter of fact." Max retorted, stung by his words. "Believe it or not, I came for business reasons, not in hot pursuit of your bones. Or have you forgotten that in some ways Eyes Only is Seattle's guardian, so to speak?"

Logan shot her a glare at her reminder to him of the responsibilities he had walked away from in the midst of his personal crisis. "Seattle can't live without me for a couple of days? I find that hard to believe."

"Yeah? Well you better believe it in this case. You think I'd've come traipsing out to cow country over one of your snits otherwise?" Max said glaring back at him. "In case you haven't noticed it's pouring. Got mud and worse all over my baby coming down that thing I suppose you call a road to this place."

Logan sighed. "So why _did_ you come if it wasn't to engage in whatever it is we do?"

"I came because there's some pretty nasty radioactive material loose in Seattle. One guy already died because of it, and if we don't find it, it could get a hell of a lot worse." She hesitated, "I tried but I need your help, Logan. My contacts are coming up empty." Her shoulders slumped and she glanced away from him. "I'm not askin' for anything personal in all this. But you're the one who made me care about what happens to the rest of the world. So do you think you could put aside what you feel for me, and get your ass back to Seattle to do your thing?" 

Logan felt even guiltier at her words. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Look. I'm…sorry…I mean…" he floundered.

Max shrugged. "No big deal." Her familiar mask was in place and Logan couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking or feeling. "So can we get out of here? I don't think we have a hell of a lot of time."

Logan hesitated, his hand on the sheet. "Max, do you mind? I mean I'm not…"

"Wearing anything under the sheet? Logan, I've seen it. I am not goin' outside to wait in the rain and I am not goin' to go sit in the parlor of this place like some Sunday visitor while you get dressed. " Max said bluntly. 

"Fine, then." Logan bit out the words, and threw back the sheets. He stood from the bed and deliberately brushed against Max as he walked over to the bureau that held the clothing he had brought with him. With his back to her he swiftly dressed, and then tossed the remainder of his clothes haphazardly into his overnight bag. "I'm gonna brush my teeth, if that's ok with you, and leave a note for James. Then we can go." He threw the last over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. 

As soon as the door closed behind him, Max let a look of hurt wash across her face. Her eyes were suspiciously bright but she squared her shoulders and brushed at them with the back of a hand. "Damn you, Logan Cale," she whispered to the closed door. 

At the same time, Logan paused in the hallway outside of the room. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. "Damn you, Max Guevara." he whispered. 

****

End of Chapter Six


	8. Chapter Seven

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24

Disclaimer: _Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24._

****

AN: To those who thought I'd abandoned this story, I apologize. I've spent the last few weeks with first the flu and then bronchitis. Writing isn't quite an option when one is grabbing a few moments here and there on the computer between doses of medicine.I'm glad to be back and hope to get this moving along once again. Star.

****

Chapter Seven

Fogle Towers

The atmosphere in Fogle Towers was tense with unspoken words. Logan went about the business of booting up his computer network as Max silently watched. He didn't know whether to be relieved that, since Max had had her Ninja and he had had the Aztek, they had returned to Seattle separately. He had been surprised to see Max following him rather than taking off ahead, but on reflection he decided she was taking no chances on his changing his mind about returning. He wasn't sure how to take that.

Max watched Logan as he expertly flipped switches and typed in commands to bring the Informant Net up to full functioning. She couldn't help a stray thought or two about how those long fingers had felt moving just as expertly on her body, but she ruthlessly suppressed them as quickly as they arose. Logan still managed to catch her staring at his hands and she thought she detected a knowing look in his eyes as they met hers. But then he turned away and was once again all business.

"Where's the email that started all this?" he asked her.

"That one." Max leaned over his shoulder and pointed to the email in question. She was aware of the warmth rising from Logan's body and the familiar subtle scent of his after-shave as she leaned in. For his part, Logan was hard pressed not to reach up and touch the long piece of silky hair that tickled his neck as Max reached over to indicate the email in question. 

"Max? Do you mind?" he said brusquely to cover his reaction to her proximity.

Max quickly straightened and moved to her familiar spot leaning against the desk next to him.

Logan perused the email quickly and then began typing in rapid commands, opening and closing windows on his screen in rapid succession. Finally he sat back with a grunt of satisfaction. "That's it."

"That's what? You found the stuff?" Max demanded.

Logan laughed shortly. "I wish it were that easy. No, I've put the word out on the informant net for information. Now it's a waiting game to see what responses I get back."

"That's all you're going to do?" Max said in disbelief. "That's nuclear shit out there, Logan."

Logan swiveled his chair to face her and raised his eyebrows. "What do you suggest? A door to door canvas? We hardly have the manpower, and I doubt whoever has this is just going to meekly turn it over."

Max frowned, "I suppose. I just thought that you'd be able to…"

"Perform a miracle? I leave that to you and your buddies at Manticore." Logan said pointedly.

A look of hurt flashed into Max's eyes, to be as quickly replaced by anger. "They're hardly my buddies, Logan."

"No?" was all Logan replied. He rose from his chair and walked into the kitchen. "I'm starving. You want something?" His tone was impersonal.

Max felt her anger blossom as she followed him into the kitchen. "Damn it, Logan. If you have something to say to me, then say it."

Logan spun and she could see that he was as angry as she was. "I don't think you want to hear what I have to say to you."

"Fine. Go all Logan Cale on me then. Shut down, close off, run away." Max threw back at him.

"I seem to remember someone else being pretty damn good at running away rather than talking." Logan retorted. 

"You mean the hotel room? I might have run away then, but I've been trying to talk to you ever since and you're the one who's been running, not me." 

"Maybe some things are better off left alone." Logan said to her coldly. "Did that ever occur to you, Max?"

"So you're telling me that we're finished? Is that it? You don't even want to hear my side of things?" Max said slowly, feeling sick to her stomach. "I've been tried and convicted in absentia?"

Logan stared at her silently, seemingly caught in an inner struggle. Max stepped closer to him, challenging him with her eyes and her words.

"Or am I not the one who you've found guilty? Is that it, Logan?" Max had a sudden insight. "You can't forgive yourself for walking again and not only for walking, but for loving every minute of it? That's it isn't it? I'm just the convenient scapegoat."

"Goddamn it, Max, you killed a man so I could walk again. Every step I take is a reminder of that fact. How in hell am I supposed to live with that?" Logan responded. "How can _you_ live with that?"

"Is that what you think, Logan? That I cold bloodedly killed someone just so you could walk? That's what you believe about me, despite everything we've been through together? Despite claiming to love me?" Max felt tears gathering in her eyes but she didn't care. 

"What am I supposed to think?" Logan demanded, even as a tinge of doubt prodded at him. 

"I guess that's what you would think. Knowing what I am after all. A 'genetically engineered killing machine', weren't those your words? And we're all prisoners of our genes, right? No chance of overcoming that." Max responded, feeling like her heart was being torn out of her chest, leaving a gaping hole in its place. She turned away from him not wanting him to see her weakness.

Logan started to lift a hand to her, "Max, wait…" Before he could continue there was a shrill beeping from the computer room.

"Sounds like you've got incoming." Max said as she walked towards the computers. Logan dropped his hand and followed after her. Three emails flashed at him and he quickly opened each in turn. When he finished reading he turned to face Max. All traces of emotion had been wiped from her face and she was once again all business. 

"So there's a reward out on the street for a heavy lead box. A substantial reward." She said briskly. "Think that's the material?"

"Good chance of it." Logan replied. "But that's a good thing."

"How do you figure that?" 

"If I can do some hacking and find out who's offering the reward we may be on our way to tracking down whoever is behind this." 

Max nodded. "Sounds like a plan. How long?"

Logan sighed. "No idea. But at least it's a place to start. It's going to be a long day."

"No point in my sticking around here then. Might as well go to work. Maybe I'll pick up something on the streets." Max picked up the leather jacket she had dropped onto a chair when they had arrived, and shrugged into it preparatory to leaving.

"Max…" Logan began. "I…"

Max looked at him and he could see the pain in her eyes. "I gotta blaze, Logan. I'll hit you later to see what you have." She turned and left before he could say anymore.

Logan sat staring after her, pain evident in his very posture, "… still love you." he whispered as the elevator doors closed behind her.

****

End of Chapter Seven


	9. Chapter Eight

__

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

****

Chapter 8

Fogle Towers

It had been several hours since Max had left, and Logan had spent them looking in cyberspace for the source of the reward that had been posted for the box. He was about to give up and take a break when his email notification began to flash. He opened the email only to find that it contained nothing more than an FTP address.

Logan frowned as he looked at the email. He didn't like the idea of checking out the address blindly but he had nothing else at all that looked promising. He spent a few moments checking to be sure the safeguards that protected his system and his location were in place. When he was satisfied that he was as close to invisible as he was going to get, he opened a program and typed in the address. 

Nothing happened for several moments and then a directory listing came up. Logan studied it for a moment and then began to carefully open the files, one at time.

****

Unknown Location

The room was darkened as always, with only a thin sliver of light seeping in from the covered window to add any illumination at all. There was knock on the door and the occupant of the room called out softly,

"Enter."

A man entered the room and closed the door carefully behind him.

"Do you have any news on the reward we've offered for the return of our goods?" the occupant asked.

"No, sir."

"Is there a reason for this meeting then?" The voice was chilling in its softness.

"I have other news related to the reward."

"I'm waiting."

"There was a hack into our system. Someone was reading our files regarding the materiel."

"You've located this someone and have sent a team to pick them up?"

The man who had entered the room hesitated, "He's a professional. We lost his tracks after an anonymous server in the Philippines."

"I assume the security staff responsible for allowing this person is has been terminated? Failure is not permissible here."

"Yes, sir. That has been taken care of."

"So you are here, why? To inform me of this new failure?" 

"We were able to slip in a false file before the intruder logged out of the system."

"And ?"

"We believe the intruder is probably local. Possibly that hacker that everyone talks about."

"Eyes Only."

"The false file contained information that we had recovered the materiel and would be transporting it from a location at the Seattle docks tonight."

"And you think our intruder will take the bait?"

"It seems likely."

The first figure nodded. "Perhaps more heads won't have to roll then. Advise me when you have apprehended our intruder."

"You don't want him terminated?" There was tinge of surprise in the man's voice.

"The person who shows up at the trap may not be the one in charge. An interrogation will be in order and after that, termination. I'll supervise it personally."

The occupant turned its back to the man who had entered the room, a clear dismissal. With no further words the second man left, closing the door behind him. When he reached the safety of the hallway he paused and wiped his brow breathing a sigh of relief that he was still alive.

****

Fogle Towers

Logan sat back with a satisfied smile on his face. Most of what he had found in the files had consisted of scientific jargon that had little meaning to him. He had copied those files and sent them over to Sebastian for an interpretation. The last two he had opened had, however, made the risk he had taken worthwhile. The first contained information on the reward and made it clear that he had indeed gotten into the site of whoever was responsible for the theft of the radioactive materiel to begin with. It was the second that had made him smile. Evidently the reward had worked and the materiel had been recovered. It was being transported from a warehouse at the docks in approximately two hours. 

Logan picked up his cell phone and punched in Max's speed dial. He waited impatiently and frowned when her voice message kicked in.

"Leave a message and I'll hit you back."

"Damn it, Max. Now is not the time to not answer your phone. I found out where the materiel is and it's being shipped out tonight. We need to get to it before it leaves. Get back to me." Logan left a message for Max and then scribbled an address on a piece of paper. He pulled on his jacket and shoved the paper into a pocket and then opened the drawer where he stored his gun. He put the gun and an extra clip into another pocket and then looked around for his car keys.

It took him several moments to find the keys, which had somehow ended up under a stack of papers. He took one last look around the room to be sure he had everything, and spotted his cell phone sitting on the desk. He grabbed that as well and then headed out of the apartment.

****

End of Chapter Eight


	10. Chapter Nine

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24 

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24_.

**Chapter Nine**

**Waterfront **

Max carefully concealed her messenger bike in an alley, after locking it securely to what looked like an old pole of the type used to protect propane gas tanks from being accidentally ruptured. The tanks were long gone but the protective poles remained and appeared to be sturdy. When she was satisfied that her bike wasn't going anywhere, Max zipped her leather jacket closed. Before she left the alley she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and checked the display. The cell was fully charged and she frowned. She started to drop it back into her pocket but on impulse she punched the button to see if she had any messages. 

One message came up and she pushed the play button and waited impatiently for it to begin.  Logan's voice came over it within seconds. 

"Damn it.  Of all times for me to hit a dead area it had to be when Logan called." Max muttered to herself.  She punched Logan's speed dial and waited as the phone beeped in her ear. 

"You have reached the number you've reached. Leave a message" Logan's voice said to her calmly.

"Logan, I missed your call. You didn't tell me where you were going. Hit me back. I'm following up a lead I got at the Dolphin Tavern down by the waterfront. It's probably nothing but I had a delivery in the area and figured I'd swing by and check it out."  She snapped her phone closed and dropped it back into her jacket pocket.  

When she strolled casually out of the alley she made a left and looked down the street. Sure enough a half block away, a dilapidated sign that said _Dolphin Tavern_ swung lazily in the breeze coming off of the water. The paint on the sign was faded and chipped and the chain on one side was shorter than on the other causing it to hang at a slant.  Max glanced around the area and noted the debris piled against buildings, as well as several heaps of rags in doorways which she suspected were winos settled in for the night.   Down the block a rough looking group of men were huddled under an anemic streetlamp which was sputtering and flickering as it tried to kick on in the growing dusk.

She sighed and walked briskly to the Dolphin.  She pushed open the heavy green door, taking note of the peeling paint, and stepped into a smoky, dimly lit room. One wall was taken up by a long bar with rough wooden stools lined up along it.  Small wooden tables with an assortment of unmatched chairs took up most of the rest of the floor space. Despite the early hour the tavern was fairly crowded with what looked to be dockworkers who had just finished their shifts. The crowd was masculine and rough; if Max had been an ordinary female she would have turned and left immediately. Instead she stepped into the tavern and walked confidently to the bar, ignoring the looks she was getting.  She pulled over an empty stool and waited for the bartended to come over.

The bartender, a grizzled looking man in his early fifties, walked over and gave her a long look.  

"Give me whatever you have on tap." Max said coolly.

"Miss, I'd suggest you find another place to make that order," the man said, wiping his hands on the grubby apron he wore. "This isn't the place for a woman alone. Unless you're looking for more than just what's on tap."

Max returned his look evenly and pulled out a few bills. "I said I'll take what you have on tap."

The man shrugged and left to draw her beer. When he returned he put it in front of her, grabbed the bills and turned as if to leave. 

Max pulled out another bill. "I'm also looking for some information."

The man eyed the money warily. "Around here it's best if you mind your own business. Which is what I do."

Max gave him a sultry smile. "I'm looking for someone who I heard might know about a box that's gone missing. A heavy metal box.  It's worth a lot to my boss if I can get it back for him."

"Your boss shouldn't have sent a little girl like you down here to run his errands," the man snorted. 

Max's hand shot across the bar and grabbed the neck of his shirt. "I know that one of your patrons has been talking about a box he found. Now you can tell me who it is and point him out to me and take this money, or I can take you in back, and you'll still tell me but I keep the money. Which is it gonna be?" She gave the man's shirt a twist and he gasped for air.  After a moment Max released him and sat back and took a sip of her beer.

"It's your funeral.  His name's Jack, or at least that's what he goes by. He's at the table in the back. Near the dartboard.  Wearing the plaid shirt. "The man spat out. He grabbed the money and left Max to sit and finish her beer.  

Max took her time finishing off her beer and then tuned to casually survey the smoky room. It only took her a moment to locate a man wearing a plaid shirt, sitting at a table near the back of the room.  Four other men were with him. All of them had the build of stevedores who spend their days hefting heavy items. Several empty pitchers were on the table in front of them.  She hopped down from the bar stool and began to walk to the rear of the room.  

As she passed tables, hands came out and grabbed at her.

"Hey baby, come to Papa John"  

"Forget that loser, I got what you want right here."

Max ignored the lewd comments and neatly avoided the hands until she stood with hands on hips at the table where Jack and his companions sat.

The men turned and looked her over.  "You lookin' for someone, honey?" one of them drawled.

"I'm lookin' for Jack." Max replied.

The men at the table hooted and whistled. "Jack, it's your lucky day," said one of them with a leer, letting his eyes roam freely over Max.

Jack grunted. "What dya want?"

"I want to talk to you. Alone." Max said.

"She wants to_ talk_ to him, _alone_," said one of them. "Baby, Jack here can't afford you. Not to mention he can't do nothin' to take care of you. Why don't you just come along with me? Bobby knows how to make his women beg for more." The speaker was in his thirties, a big strapping man. He reached toward Max but she stepped back.

"I came to see Jack." Max repeated. 

Just then one of the men from another table, pushed by the dares of his friends, came up behind Max and dropped his arms around her. Before anyone knew what had happened, Max neatly flipped him over her head and he was lying flat on the floor while Max looked on in disgust. 

"Goddamn bitch," he roared coming to his feet and charging at Max. She stepped aside and then gave him a shove, using his own momentum to send him crashing into another table.  But by this time his friends had jumped up and three more men charged at Max.  Max was a blur of motion, spinning and chopping. She took out several with sweeping kicks and two more with hard blows to their stomachs.  But for each one she took out it seemed that three more took their place.  Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Jack slinking toward a back entrance. She spun to head him off and didn't notice the brute who brought a broken chair leg down on her head, until it was too late.  Caught off balance she staggered and two more men wrapped their arms around her, lifting her off the floor so she couldn't get any leverage from her feet. 

"Now we got her. Damn little spitfire," said the one who had been at Jack's table. "Joe, throw us over those cuffs you got under the bar. We're gonna take care of this little bitch but good."

One of the men caught the handcuffs that Joe tossed his way and within moments, Max, still slightly dizzy from the blow to her head, found her hands cuffed tightly behind her back.

"Now I'm gonna have me a piece of this," growled Max's first assailant. "Hold her down."

"Damn she's strong," cursed one of them as four men struggled to bring Max down to the floor.  Using sheer weight they managed to hold her down as the others crowded around her. Max thought hard as she gathered her strength, knowing she was only going to have one chance to throw them off of her.  

"One of you come over here and unzip those jeans of hers. You four keep a tight hold on her." Bobby directed.

Another huge man knelt down next to Max and reached out to her. Before he touched her jeans he pulled down the zipper of her jacket and pushed it open revealing the tight T-shirt she wore under it.

"Whooeeee, I'm gonna get me a taste of those knockers" whistled someone. "Hurry it up boys, we all waitin' our turn."

Max spat in the man's face as he reached down for the zipper of her jeans. Without hesitation he casually backhanded her with a huge fist.  He reached for the zipper of her pants as Max focused her concentration, waiting for exactly the right moment. 

BANG

The sound of a single gunshot reverberated in the bar.  Max turned her head to see the crowd falling back. 

"Let her up and back off."

Logan stood calmly in the middle of the room. He held his gun at the ready. The man next to Max jumped up and quickly backed away.

"The rest of you let her go. Now." 

Max had never seen this Logan before. The look in his eyes was cold and deadly.  Slowly, the men holding Max down, rose and backed away from her. 

Bobby started to walk toward Logan who calmly fired another shot that hit him in the foot. He fell to the floor with a scream. 

"Max. Come over here." Logan directed. Max was on her feet and at his side in seconds, careful to stay out of the way of his gun.  Logan reached over with his free hand and unlocked her handcuffs with the key he had gotten from the bartender before the rest of the bar had realized he was there.  Freed, Max quickly gave Logan a nod.  

"Let's blaze, our quarry cut out the back about five minutes ago," she said. 

Logan nodded and the two quickly exited the bar. Outside, Logan grabbed Max's arm and pulled her toward his car which was parked across the street. "Let's get out of here before they decide to come after us in force."

Max didn't argue and in moments they were in the car and a block away.  Logan pulled over and took a deep breath, staring straight ahead.

"I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life…" Max began.

"What in hell were you thinking, of going into a place like that without backup?" Logan turned and said to her, his eyes blazing with anger. 

"I've been in worse places and come out okay." Max retorted, stung by his tone. 

"Oh yeah? Well you sure didn't look very okay to me. Unless you call getting gang raped okay." 

Max glared at Logan, unable to come up with a response.  For long moments the two stared at each other as the atmosphere in the car thickened with their emotions. Logan swore under his breath and before Max realized his intent, his arms were around her and his lips were on hers.  He kissed her hard and punishingly and when he pulled away, Max could feel the swelling already beginning on her lips. 

"And that was?" she snapped at him.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." Logan snapped back. 

"I thought you didn't care." 

"Goddamn it, Max, right now I just want to wring your neck. But we have to find that box. Where did your guy head?" Logan pulled them away from the treacherous currents swirling in the car and back to the immediate task.

"Make a left and then a right. My guess is we'll pick him up on his way home if we're lucky." Max directed him, following his lead.

"We're gonna finish this later, Max." Logan warned. "Once we get the damn box safely put away I have things to say to you."

"I have things to say to you as well. And this time you're gonna listen if I have to tie you down." Max responded. 

"Fine."

"Fine."

There was silence in the car as Logan slowly cruised along and Max looked for their quarry. 

"Logan, slow down. There he is half a block in front of us." 

Logan slowed the car and the two slowly trailed along after Jack who appeared to be oblivious of their presence.  He ambled along for another half block and then stumbled up the steps of a crumbling building that appeared to be an apartment house. Logan pulled the car to a stop across the street and the two waited quietly as Jack reached the top of the steps and fumbled in his pocket for a key.  Suddenly he turned and looked directly at the dark car. Logan reached over and pulled Max to him.

"We're a couple making out.  What's he doing?" he whispered against her lips. 

Max watched Jack over his shoulder. "Still looking, okay he's turning, he's trying to open the door, he's got it open. He's in." She pulled away from Logan and had her door open. By the time Logan opened his, Max was at the top of the steps working at the entrance door to the building. When he reached the top she had it open. The two slipped quietly into the building.  A stairway stretched upward in front of them and they could hear footsteps slowly going up it. 

Max signaled to Logan to follow her quietly, and then she was gone, up the stairs in a flash, moving with a feline grace and silence. Logan followed cautiously, taking care not to make any noise. When he reached the fourth floor landing, Max was waiting.  She motioned to him to follow her once again as she moved into position outside of a door.  Logan flattened himself against the wall next to the door and nodded to her. 

With one kick Max had the door open. Before Logan could step around she screamed "NO. DON'T OPEN THAT!"

**End of Chapter Nine**


	11. Chapter Ten

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star 24

__

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003-04 Star24.

****

Chapter Ten

Apartment building near the Docks

By the time Logan took the step that brought him around and into the doorway to the apartment, Max was long gone. Logan stood there, gun held at the ready, and surveyed the scene in front of him.

The apartment was small, poorly furnished and dimly lit. It smelled of cigarettes, liquor and old food. There was a dilapidated couch on one side of the room, and the man they had seen entering the building was slumped on it. He was clearly the worse for drink. He sat watching the scene in front of him with a dazed expression on his face, an empty beer bottle dangling from his left hand.

Directly in front of Logan, a metal box stood in the center of the stained and threadbare carpet that covered the center area of the room. Just past the box, a young girl was sprawled on the floor, leaning against an armchair that had seen better days. Max stood over her offering her a hand up. 

Logan swung his gun around to cover the man on the sofa, even though he doubted he was any kind of a threat in his condition.

"It's okay," Max said softly to the girl who was cowering back from her extended hand. "I didn't mean to hurt you, but I had to stop you from opening that box. It would have killed all of us."

The girl who was dressed in what amounted to rags didn't respond. She simply looked up at Max and then glanced at Logan. Fear shone in her eyes as she looked at the two of them.

Max sighed and knelt in front of her. "My name is Max and this is my friend, Logan. We've been looking for this box for a while now. We aren't here to hurt you, we just need to take it somewhere safe." Her voice was soft and her manner was gentle.

"It's worth money," the girl finally said. "That's why you want it."

"There is a reward for it, that's true. But it's still deadly. The box contains plutonium. Do you know what that is?" Max responded patiently.

The girl nodded. "It's radiation. Like in the bomb that made the Pulse."

Max smiled at her. "Yes it is. The people who lost it want it back, so they are offering a reward."

"I found it, not you," the girl said.

"Thash true. Reward should be ourshh," the man finally chimed in, slurring his words drunkenly.

Max and Logan exchanged glances. Logan looked at the girl and then at Max, and nodded.

"How would you like to come with us and we'll make sure you get the reward for the box?" Max asked the girl. The girl looked fearfully over at the man, a look Max didn't miss. "Hey, can you get me a glass of water?" Max asked her. "I'm really thirsty." She held her hand out once more, and this time the girl took it. Logan watched as Max let her lead her into what he assumed must be the kitchen.

Once Max and Mina were out of the room, he stepped over to the man. "Roll onto your stomach," he said harshly. When the man didn't comply immediately, Logan reached down and gave him a shove. The man blinked and then slowly laid on the couch on his stomach. Logan pulled a length of rope from his pocket and quickly bound his hands behind him. By the time he finished, the man was fast asleep, snoring drunkenly. Looking disgusted, Logan rolled him over onto his back and covered him with a dirty afghan that lay on the floor next to the couch. He had just finished when Max and the girl returned to the room.

"Logan, this is Mina. She's going to come with us." Max said in a tone that made it clear she wasn't going to argue with Logan about it. "Mina, get your things, quickly. We need to leave here." Max gave the girl a gentle push and watched as she went over to a curtain that separated a corner of the room and ducked behind it. 

"Max?" Logan said to her softly, a question in his voice.

"He isn't her father. He's some kind of uncle or something. She isn't sure. Her parents are both dead. He's drunk most of the time, and he hits her. Logan, I'm not letting her stay here." Max's tone was fierce. 

"I wasn't arguing with you," Logan said mildly. 

Max relaxed and sent him the first genuine smile he'd gotten from her since she'd come to fetch him at the farm. "Thanks, Logan."

"I should be able to find her a foster family without much problem." Logan mused, warmed in spite of himself by the smile from Max.

Before they could say more, Mina emerged from behind the curtain with a small backpack and a grubby teddy bear dangling from her hand. At the same time Max suddenly came to full alertness and ran to the window overlooking the alley that ran along the rear of the building.

"Logan, we have to get out of here. We have company. Luckily they're coming in from the back of the building."

On her words the three of them were out of the apartment, Logan pulling Mina along, and Max scooping up the box. When they reached the hallway they heard a banging noise down below. 

"Hurry before they break in that back door." Max took off down the stairs with the box, and Logan and Mina hurried in her wake. By the time they reached the ground floor, Max was back, minus the box. 

"Get her to the car. I'll play rearguard. Wait for me on the next block over." Max directed.

Logan didn't waste time arguing with her, but hurried Mina out of the building. Within moments they were in his car and pulling away from the building. 

Left behind, Max melted into the shadows. The rear door to the building burst open and she watched from her place of concealment as three bulky thugs carrying semi-automatic weapons headed for the stairway. She waited a moment and then looked around the hallway. She spotted a fire alarm pull box and a smile crossed her face. She crossed the hallway, broke the glass and pulled the lever down, then held her breath waiting to see if it still worked. 

Within seconds the noise of a loud clanging alarm bell split the air. Doors began to open and residents of the building started to pile out into the hallway. Max darted to the open front door and slipped down the stairs, a dark shadow among many shadows. She heard the distant wailing of fire sirens. Still grinning she ran across the street and into an alley that led through to the next block.

Logan heard the fire sirens as he and Mina sat waiting, for what seemed like an eternity, for Max to arrive. He never saw her coming but suddenly the passenger door opened and Max was there.

"Let's blaze." 

Logan needed no further urging to pull away. As they sped down the block several fire engines passed them from the opposite direction, lights flashing and sirens at full blast. Logan shot an inquiring look at Max. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that?"

Max smiled. "Well no one is going to be coming and going from that block anytime soon. Makes for an easy getaway doncha think?"

Logan laughed. In the back, Mina looked from one to the other curiously. 

Max turned and reached a hand back to her. "It's gonna be okay, Mina. Logan is going to make sure you have a nice family to take care of you again."

Mina smiled shyly. She reached a hand up to brush her hair out of her eyes and her ragged sleeve fell back, revealing finger shaped bruises on her wrist. Max frowned and turned forward again. Logan had been watching in the rear view mirror and he reached a hand over to her. He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I know," he said simply when she looked at him with a question in her eyes. "We'll take care of her, I promise."

Max felt a frisson of warmth as Logan looked at her with the first approval she'd seen from him since they had awoken together in the Steinlitz Hotel. A trickle of hope made its way into her heart.

"What now?" she asked him.

"First we drop Mina off in a safe place, and then we go collect a reward." Logan said.

"Collect a reward?" Max asked wondering what he had in mind.

"I have reason to believe there's a welcoming committee waiting for me to show up looking for that box. I thought we might arrange our own little return of it, along with a surprise party for them."

"How do we do that?"

"Tell me that you don't think a certain Colonel has an interest in what's going on?" Logan said to her. "Mysterious emails and notes showing up giving us information we needed at opportune moment?"

Comprehension dawned on Max. "And despite everything he is, he's not going to want this materiel loose in Seattle or in the wrong hands. Gotcha."

"We're going to pull some strings of our own this time, Max, instead of dancing on his."

Logan smiled grimly.

"I like it." Max settled back into her seat as Logan expertly threaded the Aztek through streets on a night that somehow didn't seem quite as dark to her as it had earlier. 

****

End of Chapter Ten


	12. Chapter Eleven

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star 24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003-04 Star24.

****

Chapter Eleven

Fogle Towers

As soon as they arrived at Logan's penthouse, he headed straight for his computers. Max took Mina to the guestroom and settled her in. She found an old sweatshirt of Logan's that Mina could use and made sure she had plenty of towels and shampoo, and then left her to shower and sleep.

"What do you have?" she asked softly, walking up behind Logan, who sat engrossed in the screen in front of him.

Logan jumped slightly at Max's soft words. He had been so involved in what he was reading that he hadn't heard her come up behind him. He supposed that was okay when Max was around, but he made a note to be more careful when he was alone in the apartment. He swiveled his chair and found himself looking up at Max, who was standing close enough for his knees to brush against her legs.

Their eyes met and held. Logan froze as all thoughts of the box and their present mission fled his mind. 

Max's eyes reflected the same pain and confusion, mixed with something else, that he felt himself. He wondered if she could read his feelings as easily as he could hers.

Logan started to reach out to her. "Max." To his surprise his voice was hoarse.

Max stood frozen as she felt Logan's knees brush against her legs. He was looking up at her, his face carefully void of emotion, but his eyes spoke volumes. She could see the pain and confusion he was experiencing, but along with it she saw something else. Something she was afraid to identify. 

Logan lifted his hand as if he was going to touch her and spoke her name in a hoarse voice. Max held her breath, fighting against the hope that was beating inside of her, trying to get out. Before Logan could continue, the computer behind him began to beep, signaling an incoming email.

Logan sighed, so softly that Max wouldn't have caught it if she didn't have enhanced hearing. His hand briefly brushed hers and then he turned his chair back to his computer and grabbed the mouse. With a click of the mouse he had the email open on the screen in front of him. 

Max leaned in over his shoulder greedily breathing in his familiar fragrance, and read the email along with him.

The email was from the sender of the message that had started her on the hunt for the steel box that now sat in the middle of Logan's living room, VisionWA.

__

Received and forwarded your information about the location of the package and am advised there will be a pickup at 0400 hours today. Due to the value the package will be given top priority handling. 

"What do you make of that?" Logan looked up at her with a slight smile on his face. 

"You think Vision is a plant of Lydecker's?" Max answered his question with one of her own.

"I know he is. I ran a trace on the original email while you were settling Mina in. Deck's good but I'm better. It came from Manticore, no doubt about it." Logan had a satisfied look on his face. 

For a moment Max forgot about the very real issues between them and she reached out and lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "Do I detect a bit of smugness here?" she teased.

Logan raised his eyebrows. "And why not?"

Their eyes met once again as they smiled at each other tentatively. But then Max frowned breaking the moment. "Wait a minute the box is here. You didn't."

"Would I do something that dumb? It's here for now. Remember the meeting I told you about - the trap they set for me? That's the address I gave Vision."

"So our perpetrators instead of dealing with a lone journalist, are going to have a surprise visit from a Manticore Tac team. Nice." Max approved. 

"I thought so. Gets the stuff off of our hands safely and I have a feeling that whoever is behind this is no friend of Lydecker's. So." Logan smiled wickedly.

"Let the bad guys fight it out amongst themselves. I like it. Now all I have to do is drop off the box."

"_We_ have to drop off the box." Logan corrected. "You're not going alone, not when we still don't know exactly who these guys are, and not with a Manticore Tac team on its way."

"I didn't think you cared." Max said softly but with an underlying challenge to her words. She held her breath wondering if she should have pushed Logan so soon.

Logan regarded her levelly. "We really do need to have that talk, Max." His mask was back in place, his feelings hidden once again.

Max supposed she should be happy that at least he didn't seem to be as furious at her as he had been, and he did want to talk, but she felt herself growing impatient. She wanted the talk now not later. Somehow she managed to keep her face impassive and her tone casual as she shrugged. "Whenever you want, Logan."

Logan gave her a narrow look but he let it drop. "The pickup time is in four hours. There's one more twist I didn't tell you."

"And that is?"

"There's the reward for the box. How do you feel about taking a bit of money off of our bad guys? Mina could use a college fund when she starts her new life, don't you think?"

Max smiled in approval. "That's perfect. What's the plan?"

"I was thinking a beautiful but dumb blonde um ah." Logan hesitated not quite sure about the next part.

"Ho? Hooker?" Max supplied bluntly. "And would the blonde part be natural or blonde as in a blonde wig? 'Cause I ain't dying my hair, not even for Mina." 

Logan ignored her and continued on, "Anyway, you just happened to obtain this box and are delivering it for the offered reward. You drop it off, collect the money and then we get out of there before the party starts."

Max pouted. "No kickin' ass?" she said in mock disappointment.

"Not unless you plan on a reunion with your favorite Colonel. Dazzling them with your, ahem, smile will have to do." Logan tossed back.

"What's your part in this?"

"I'm your pimp. I deliver you to the pickup spot and wait while you get the money." Logan said.

"Not in what you call a car." Max said. "That'll blow it right there. No self-respecting pimp would be caught dead in that."

"Already taken care of. I set that up while you were busy with Mina." Logan informed her.

"Mina. We can't leave her here alone." Max said.

Logan frowned. "You're right. That wouldn't be smart."

It was Max's turn to smile. "I'll get OC to come over to keep an eye on things while we're gone."

Logan started to say something but stopped. For the first time that night he had a look of real worry on his face.

"She won't kick your ass tonight." Max said cheerfully. "I won't let her. But that's only because I want to do this for Mina."

Logan started to answer but then decided he'd be better off letting it drop. "Fine. Get her over here and then you need to get dressed for the meet. I'll put your clothes out in my bedroom while you call Original Cindy." 

Max grinned as she flipped open her cell phone and walked to the other room to call her friend, leaving Logan to finalize the arrangements.

****

End of Chapter Eleven


	13. Chapter Twelve

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star 24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003-04 Star24.

****

Chapter Twelve

Seattle Sector Eight

True to his word, Logan had somehow obtained a flashy sports car worthy of one of Seattle's less upstanding denizens and he and Max now sat in it outside of a seedy looking warehouse. Logan slipped on a pair of dark glasses that not only disguised his eyes, but also covered a good portion of his face, and turned to Max.

"You'll do." Max let her gaze sweep over Logan who was dressed in clothing she never would have expected to see on his trim frame. He wore a dark blue shirt made of a shiny material that clung to his chest. The top several buttons were opened displaying a light furring of chest hair and a thick gold chain. 

His pants were of a black material that similarly clung to his body and the outfit was topped off with one of his leather jackets. On his left wrist he wore a gold link bracelet that matched the chain, and his hands sported several flashy rings. "Wonder what your snooty relatives would say if they saw you dressed like this?" 

Logan chuckled, "It would almost be worth it to see their faces." He hadn't missed the way Max's gaze lingered as she looked him up and down, and he struggled to remain impassive as he checked out her outfit in his turn.

Max wore the tiniest excuse for a skirt she had ever put on in her life. Beneath its skintight, minuscule length her shapely legs were encased in black fishnet hose. Her top consisted of a glittery red backless halter made of a clingy material, with a deep V-Neck. Logan had provided her with a blonde wig and makeup, which Original Cindy had helped her apply. Max couldn't stand the feel of the thick foundation and wanted nothing more than to wash it off, but a look from both Cindy and Logan when she had balked at it had made her give up that idea. She wore several cheap bangles on each wrist, long glittery earrings and was chewing a piece of bubble gum. As a final touch Cindy had sprayed her heavily with a cheap perfume that had made her sneeze for several moments. 

"Well?" she said impatiently as Logan didn't say anything. 

"You'll do." He repeated her words back to her. 

Max frowned. "Yeah, if I don't die of toxic shock from this makeup and perfume first. Why couldn't I have been something else?"

Logan grinned devilishly, "Why the better to distract them, my dear. We don't want them thinking any too clearly now, do we?"

Max climbed from the car and walked deliberately around to lean on Logan's open window, swaying her hips as she walked. She leaned in close to him, making sure to give him a good look at her cleavage and said in a sultry voice, "And what about you, big boy?" Feeling distracted?" 

Logan gulped and was suddenly uncomfortably aware of exactly how tight his pants were. "I'm feeling like we need to get this done and get out of here ASAP," he answered repressively, managing to hold onto some shreds of composure in the face of Max's deliberate provocation.

Max laughed and brushed a finger tipped with bright red, through his hair and down his cheek. "Hold those thoughts until I get back." Her gaze dropped to his lap making her reference clear and there was a wicked gleam in her eyes as she straightened. "You wanna pop the trunk, baby?" she said, becoming all business. 

Logan sighed and complied with her request. He watched as she pulled out the heavy box and then proceeded toward the building. Just before she went in, she turned and blew him a kiss. She tossed her hair and pushed open the door and entered, letting it close behind her. 

"Max?" Logan whispered into his concealed throat mike, "does it look okay?"

"This place is a rat hole. Can't believe Vinnie is makin' me do this." Max complained loudly, coming through clearly on Logan's comm unit. "Hey, big boy." Her voice turned into a sultry purr. "I'm lookin' for Mr. Gonzales. I gotta delivery for him." 

"Give that to me and stand still." A rough voice said. 

"Hey." There was the sound of a slap. "Don't touch the merchandise. If you wanna make a purchase you gotta talk to my old man. He's waitin' for me outside." Max's voice was indignant. 

"Vic, stop foolin' around with the babe and bring her and the box in to the man." A third voice chimed in. 

After that Logan heard low grumbling and the sound of Max's heels tapping a rhythm on the floor as she accompanied the voices to see the person in charge. He leaned back to wait, unconsciously dropping a hand to the gun that was tucked into the waistband of his pants just in case. Suddenly his earpiece went to static and he swore to himself. He looked at his watch. It was possible that the room Max had entered had steel in its walls that was interfering with their comms. Logan decided to give Max ten minutes to come out and then he would head in after her. He settled back in his seat, forcing himself to wait out the time. 

Inside the building Max had followed two rough looking men into another section of the old warehouse. 

It looked as if it had once been the receiving and storage section. Tall rows of steel shelving extended up into the shadows of the roof and stretched down long dark aisles. A couple of broken down forklifts sat gathering dust, stripped of their tires and, she guessed, of any mechanical parts of any worth. 

"Like it, doll?" 

Max turned with a start to face a man who was seated in shadow behind a desk off to her left. She shivered and pulled her arms tight around herself in a show of nervousness. "No. It's creepy here." She let a sulky tone creep into her voice. "My ole man made me come in while he waits outside. He shoulda done this."

"I suspect your 'ole man' is more concerned with his own skin than yours, sweetheart." The man's tones were chill despite the endearment. He turned to the man who had taken the box from Max, dismissing her as no account. "Bring that here, Victor."

Victor complied, placing the box on the desk and then hastily backing off. The man behind the desk flicked on a goose neck lamp, illuminating only the box and leaving his face in shadow. Max chuckled to herself as she focused her night vision and studied his face closely, committing it to her memory.

After a quick examination the man behind the desk signaled with his hand. "Give her the money and show her out." 

The man next to Victor pulled an envelope out of his pocket and shoved it at Max. "Come on." He turned and started back the way they had come, not bothering to see if she was following. Max shrugged and followed in his wake. When they reached the front entrance she expected him to let her out but instead he accompanied her toward the car where Logan sat waiting. A chill made it's way down her spine as she detected the slight movement of his hand toward his waist. 

In the car Logan breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the door open and Max silhouetted in the anemic glow of a street lamp. He frowned as she exited the building accompanied by a man. His hand went to his gun and he pulled it out and held it ready, out of sight below the car window. 

"You don' need to accompany me no further." Max was saying to her escort. "My ole man's right there waitin' for me and he gets real jealous if you know what I mean."

"Maybe I wanna check out the prices." Max's escort said, continuing to walk with her. 

Max stopped and gave him a sultry look. "I don't come cheap."

He grunted and grabbed her arm pulling her toward the car. "That's for your pimp to negotiate now ain't it, baby?"

Max stopped dead, forcing the man to stop with her. "You dissin' me? "Cause I don't like that."

"Shuddup bitch." The man was out of patience and he yanked hard on Max's arm. 

Logan was out of the car and he stood there holding his gun on the man. "Let her go. Nobody touches 

what's mine, least not without paying first," he declared in rough tones. 

Things happened swiftly after that. The man went for the gun he was carrying and Max screamed to Logan "Get down."

Logan dropped to the ground as a gun went off. As he watched, Max turned into a whirling dervish of motion. She spun and brought a shapely leg up, disarming the man with a hard kick and continuing her motion, at a speed that was a blur to Logan, to catch him square in the face. Blood spurted and he let out a scream, clutching his hand to his nose. Before he could begin to recover, Max hit him hard in the stomach and he doubled over, making it easy for her to send him flying across the pavement with another well placed foot. 

As he moaned and struggled to rise, Max was beside Logan, pulling him up and practically throwing him into the car. He had barely closed his door when she was in the passenger seat yelling at him to get moving. Logan started the car and stepped hard on the accelerator, peeling out and leaving the smell of burned rubber lingering behind them. He continued his speed for several blocks, taking corners recklessly

and nearly running over a wino who stumbled out into the road. Finally, satisfied that they weren't being followed, he slowed the car and looked over at Max. 

Max had pulled off her blonde wig and was running her hands through her hair. She looked over at Logan with a grin. "Nice driving."

Logan grinned back, caught up in the exhilaration of the moment, "Nice ass kicking." He laughed, " I should have known you'd get some in."

Max smiled. "Be happy I got some of it out of my system." The meaning behind her words was clear.

Logan chose to ignore it, not wanting to lose the feeling of the moment. "How much did we get?"

Max pulled the envelope of money out of the neckline of her top and opened it up. She riffled through the bills. "Looks like ten thou. Not bad."

"It'll help Mina get a start." Logan said softly. 

"Yeah," Max agreed, remembering the young girl waiting at Logan's for them.

Silence fell in the car as Logan headed it toward Fogle Towers. But this time it was a comfortable silence, lacking the recent awkwardness between them. Max leaned back and closed her eyes, wanting only to arrive so she could wash her face of the gunk coating it. When they had to stop in a checkpoint line, Logan glanced at her, letting his eyes briefly roam over her. He couldn't help thinking how beautiful she was despite her sleazy outfit.

Max's eyes opened just then and met his. The two stared at each other.

"Max," Logan said, "we need to talk."

"When?" Max asked.

Logan sighed. "Mina's at my place."

"No one's at mine." Max said in return. "Original Cindy's with Mina, remember."

"You want to do this tonight?" Logan seemed to be a bit startled.

"No time like the present." Max returned, challenging him with a look. 

They were through the checkpoint and Logan switched direction, heading towards Max's apartment. 

As they drove through the dark and mostly deserted streets, silence once again reigned as each one gathered their thoughts for the coming confrontation.

End of Chapter Twelve


	14. Chapter Thirteen

****

AS 2.08 Pong by Star 24 

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are Ó 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is Ó 2003-04 Star24.

Chapter Thirteen

Once they passed the Sector checkpoint, sped along by Logan's impeccable paperwork, they reached Max's apartment in what seemed like no time. Logan pulled the car to the side of the road. "We're here," he said unnecessarily.

"Yeah." Max opened her door and climbed out of the low slung sports car. When Logan didn't immediately follow she turned to look at him. "You coming? 'Cause I really need to get this gunk off of my face. It's gotta be toxic."

Logan climbed out of the car and locked it behind them. "Will the car be okay here tonight? I have to return it in one piece tomorrow."

Max glanced around and then let out a shrill whistle. In seconds a boy, who appeared to be about sixteen, appeared out of what seemed like nowhere. 

"Hey, Max, wassup?" he said, exchanging a high five with her.

"This set of wheels belongs to my good friend here. You wanna make sure it's still here in the AM, with all its parts intact?" Max asked him.

"For you, Max, not a prob." 

Max gave him one of her rare smiles. "Thanks, boo. How's your mom doin'?"

"She's been good ever since you got her those meds she needed."

"Make sure you let me know if she needs more, k?"

"You got it." 

The boy melted back into the darkness and Max turned to Logan impatiently. "C'mon. The car'll be fine."

Logan nodded and silently followed her into her building. The silence continued until they reached her apartment and she pushed open the door and walked inside. It was dark but Max walked unerringly to the kitchen area and switched on a dim light. "I'm going to wash my face. Make yourself comfortable." 

Max vanished into her room and Logan shrugged out of his jacket and then walked over to look out of the windows. Max's apartment wasn't on as high a floor as he occupied at Fogle Towers, but there was still a decent view of Seattle and he stood looking out over the city as he waited for her to come back.

The sound of soft footsteps alerted him and he turned to see Max standing there barefoot, her face washed clean of makeup and hair brushed out. She had changed into a pair of soft gray sweat pants and a tank top. She looked young and innocent, certainly not the soldier that she had been raised to be. Logan, as always, struggled to reconcile this Max with the one he had seen an hour earlier. The one who had quickly and brutally dispatched a thug who outweighed her by at least ninety pounds without breaking a sweat. 

"So?" Max said softly. "Where do we start?"

"Do you ever wish we could go back to that night you broke into my place and start all over from there?" Logan answered her with a question.

"I never thought about that," Max said, "I was taught that you can't second guess yourself; you deal with the current situation and move ahead." She shrugged and moved to perch on her battered couch, "Unless you know about some kind of time machine technology that I never heard of."

Logan laughed shortly, "No, I can't say that I do."

Silence fell as he continued to stand by the windows and Max waited. 

"What do you want me to say, Logan?" She finally broke the silence.

Logan ran a finger through his hair, making it spike more than normal. He sighed. "Why did you do it, Max? Did you honestly think I'd want you to sell your soul to Deck just so I could use my legs again? Did you think I'd be able live with the knowledge that my walking came at the cost of another man's life?" He stopped, seemingly shocked at his outburst.

"Is that what you really believe happened, Logan?" Max looked more sad than angry. "You think that I killed someone in cold blood, just like that?" 

"What am I supposed to think?" Logan tossed out. His frustration was evident in his voice and stance. "You've never denied it. You didn't stay and tell me anything different that morning at the Steinlitz. You just left." 

"You told me that you loved me. How could you love someone who you believe is capable of that?" Max asked softly.

Their eyes met and she could see the struggle in his. He turned to the window once again and didn't answer immediately. When he finally did speak, his words were so soft that she never would have heard them without her enhanced hearing abilities. "That's what I've been asking myself. Because I do love you, Max. No matter what, I don't think I can ever stop loving you. So what does that make me?" 

Max didn't answer him and he finally turned, to see her sitting there with tears in her eyes. "Why do you hate yourself so much, Logan?"

"I don't," his denial was automatic.

"Look at you. You have to convince yourself that I'm some kind of monster, because if I wasn't I wouldn't be with you. I thought Manticore did a job on my head, but someone did a better one on yours." 

There was an arrested look on Logan's face as he stared at Max.This time it was her turn to look away from him. Her shoulders slumped and she looked defeated, something Logan wasn't used to seeing in Max. Unable to help himself, he walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. He reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. Max didn't resist but neither did she look at him. She buried her face in his chest and allowed him to gently stroke her back and hair. The two sat like that for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts. 

"Max?" Logan finally said softly. "Deck played you, didn't he?" There was conviction in his voice, making what he said more of a statement than a question. "I should have known that the minute I read that note. He played you and he played me, and he's still out there planning how he's going to do it again. That's the real story."

He felt Max sigh and then she raised her head. "Pretty much," she paused and then continued, "it was my fault though. I should have known better than to go to him. I thought I could use him, for you, but instead he used me. It was stupid on my part, but when Sam told me about your spine, that it was deteriorating and was only going to get worse over time, I panicked."

"It meant that much to you that I wasn't ever going to get out of that chair?" Logan asked her.

"No, damn it. I _never_ cared about the stupid chair." Max was suddenly angry. "I was afraid of what _you_ were going to do. That one day I might not get there in time and I'd come home to find that you'd offed yourself over it. That was what panicked me." She glared at Logan. 

"I'm sorry, Max." Logan's voice was low. "I'm a selfish prick. I don't deserve you. I wouldn't blame you for telling me to get out of your life."

"Logan, stop it. This isn't all about you. Didn't you listen to me at all? I did a stupid thing. I knew Manticore had technology to stop the deterioration of your spinal column and I wanted it for you. I thought I could play Deck, only he was better than I was and he played me. And if you don't stop doing this, he's still playing us and he's the one who's gonna have the last laugh."

Logan looked down at her. He could feel the warmth of her body against his. Her eyes sparkled with anger and her lips were parted. Going on impulse and instinct, he drew her even closer and then buried his hands in her hair and pulled her face to his. Their lips met and he greedily drank in her taste and scent and feel. 

Max responded readily. He deepened the kiss, using it to tell her what he didn't know how to say with words. Max stayed right with him, taking what he gave and giving it back. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless. Logan could feel a racing pulse, and he didn't know if it was his, or Max's, or both of theirs. 

"Let me love you, Max. Let me make it up to you." Logan's voice was hoarse with emotion and desire. His hands were gently stroking her, causing thrills of electricity to run through her body. 

Max shivered slightly in his arms, but didn't answer. Her eyes searched his intently. He met her stare head on, not turning away this time.

"Please, Max. I love you. I never stopped loving you for one minute. Please don't say that I managed to make you hate me." 

"I could never hate you, Logan," Max answered softly. 

Logan leaned in and kissed her again, gently this time. When he pulled away he looked at her and waited for her decision.

Max stood and held out a hand to Logan. He rose and took it and she led him to her bedroom. When she pushed back the drapes that separated it from the main room she paused; she looked doubtfully at the mattress on the floor that she called a bed. "It isn't Fogle Towers, Logan, or even the Steinlitz." 

Logan didn't answer. He simply pulled her along with him to the bed. Together they tumbled onto it and then there was no more talk. For a long time the only sounds were the rustle of clothing being discarded, followed by the soft murmuring shared by two lovers. And then finally there was silence, as they slept in a tangle of limbs and bedclothes, illuminated by a single shaft of moonlight that made its way through the window to slant across their bed.

****

End of Chapter Thirteen


	15. Epilogue

AS 2.08 Pong by Star24 

_Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2001-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24_.

**Epilogue**

**Outside of ****Kent****, ****WA******

The battered Aztek pulled up to the familiar farmhouse where three people, a man, a woman and a girl, stood waiting on the porch. Logan, Max, and Mina opened the doors and climbed out of the car. As Mina came into view the girl ran down the steps and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so happy you're here. I'm Maria and I've always wanted a little sister." Maria took the hand of a stunned Mina and pulled her along with her up the steps, chattering the entire time. "This is Mom and Dad…"

Max and Logan exchanged smiles as they watched the four embrace.  After a few minutes, James disengaged himself and came down the steps to join the two of them.

"I can't thank you enough…" Logan began.

"Logan, we've wanted another child for a while now. We're the ones who can't thank you, first for Maria and now for Mina." James was having none of it. "Can you and Max stay for dinner?"

"It's getting late and we really need to get back to Seattle. Maybe another time?" Logan demurred. "Anyway you should have this time together to get Mina settled in." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope which he handed to James. "Here are all of her papers and the money I told you about."

James accepted the envelope and shook Logan's hand. "The invitation is open anytime. For both of you." He smiled at Max and she returned his smile with one of her own.

"Daddy, we need you." Maria called out.

James quickly headed up the steps to join the rest of his family.

"Shall we?" Logan turned to Max but she had already climbed into the car. He followed suit and the four on the porch waved as the Aztek pulled away.

There was silence in the car as Logan negotiated the rutted driveway back to the main road. Once they reached smoother pavement, he reached over and took Max's hand. Max regarded their joined hands with a slightly startled look but didn't make a move to pull away from Logan's grasp.  After a few minutes of driving, Logan slowed and released her hand as he turned the car into an old scenic overlook. He pulled to a stop and killed the engine. 

"Logan, is there a reason we're stopping here?"

"So I can do this." Logan reached out and cupped her face between his hands gently. For a moment he gazed into her eyes, but then he leaned toward her, simultaneously pulling her to him until their lips met in a long deep kiss.

"I love you, Max.," he breathed when he finally broke the contact. "I may be the world's biggest idiot about it sometimes, but never doubt it's true."

Max stared at him as sweet memories of the night before crowded into her mind. "I love you too," she whispered.

Logan continued on, "I can't say I'm completely okay about my legs yet, and I can't promise I'm ever going to like that I owe Manticore for them, but I don't want that to come between us."

"I can live with that." Max sighed, "Especially since I'd like to take Deck's head off for what he pulled, and if I ever get the chance I just may do it."

Blue eyes met brown as they smiled at each other. 

"It's not gonna be easy." Logan warned. "Us I mean."

"You mean because you can be the most pigheaded person I've ever met?" Max responded teasingly.

"Actually I was kind of thinking that about you." Logan shot back.

Max frowned at him, "You could always hook up with one of your society girls instead."

Logan pretended to consider her suggestions, "My aunt would probably be happy to set me up with one."

"That would be a shame." Max said, her voice oozing sweetness.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. 'Cause then I'd have to seriously damage her pretty face just to let her know who you belonged to."

Logan let out a shout of laughter and pulled Max to him once again. When they broke apart this time, Max looked at him with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"You know I really don't think we're gonna make it back to Seattle before curfew."

"You're probably right." Logan agreed.

"I saw a motel on the way here. It'd probably be safer than trying to run checkpoints at night."

"Max are you suggesting that we…"

"…not to mention it's a hella lot closer than Seattle." Max finished ignoring his interruption. "And I seriously don't think I want to wait to finish up what we started this morning. Patience is not one of my strong points."

Logan smiled as he started the engine and pulled back onto the road. "Come here." He reached over and pulled Max closer to him, settling his arm around her shoulders. 

Max snuggled contentedly against him as he guided the car down the lonely road. Soft music played and the two in the car relaxed, enjoying the brief moment of peace in the middle of their chaotic lives.

**End of Pong**


End file.
